Further calls have been made for a fresh independent investigation into allegations of racism against England manager Mark Sampson after key witness Drew Spence came forward.
The mixed-race Chelsea midfielder is the player at the centre of the accusation, first made by her club team-mate Eni Aluko, that Sampson asked her how many times she had been arrested during a meeting at the 2015 China Cup.
Spence was not interviewed as part of the FA’s internal inquiry nor by barrister Katharine Newton during her independent investigation into Aluko’s wide-ranging complaint of bullying and harassment, which included Spence’s incident.
Both investigations cleared Sampson. Yet Sportsmail first revealed in August that the FA paid Aluko £80,000 hush money to gag her from speaking about her case.
England women’s manager Mark Sampson could face further investigation
Sampson, pictured with the team on Tuesday, has been cleared by two investigations
Sampson has repeatedly denied all of the allegations against him, but Spence, 24, has now submitted a written statement to the FA corroborating Aluko’s story and Sportsmail understands the governing body will reopen Newton’s investigation provided Spence is willing to sit down for an interview.
Several calls have now been made for the FA to start an entirely new investigation around Aluko’s initial complaint, emailed in May 2016, while the Chelsea striker and Spence are understood to be concerned with the prospect of Newton taking charge of the process again, given the blatant errors the first time.
Herman Ouseley, chairman of anti-discrimination campaigners Kick It Out, said: ‘It’s quite clear there were flaws in the process from day one, compounded by flaws in every move towards where this was thought to have been concluded with a confidentiality agreement.
‘If it’s true that the FA are about to reopen the investigation and get the person who made the flawed report back in that would seem to be an act of desperation that would take us further into the route of confusion and injustice. It will get us no further to where we need to be.
Eni Aluko has claimed she was subjected to racial slurs from the England Women’s manager
‘People keep asking me what’s going on with this. They are confused and I am confused. Having such confusion is bringing the game into disrepute and suggests that people at the top are not as decisive as they should be. It’s making the game a laughing stock.
‘From day one my position has been that the FA must end confusion by providing clarity.’
Key figures at the FA — as well as Aluko and Lianne Sanderson, another former England player to question Sampson and the organisation’s actions — have been called in front of the culture, media and sport select committee next month to face questions about their poor handling of the case.
CMS chairman Damian Collins said: ‘Katharine Newton completed her investigation. I think it would be better for someone to look at this with a fresh pair of eyes now, an independent person who can come in and look at new evidence that wasn’t taken and review the work that Katharine Newton did as well.
Herman Ouseley, chairman of anti-discrimination campaigners Kick It Out, has spoken out
‘Clearly, that would inspire confidence from the players and other people involved in this, too.
‘When we have our session with the players, and hopefully the FA as well, we want to try to understand those issues better and look at the way in which it was handled and look at why the players are unhappy with the way the investigation has been conducted so far.
‘Despite the assurances that we were given that everything had been done thoroughly and meticulously and there was no case answer, it’s interesting that we’re in a position where new, crucial evidence seems to be emerging.’